


Shake Out

by TheonnaQueen



Series: Pilots & Spies [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: 3 ABY, Alternate Universe - Happy, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-21
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-18 14:09:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,699
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29610612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheonnaQueen/pseuds/TheonnaQueen
Summary: Sometimes the only choice you have is to walk away from everything. Will joining the Rebellion be that bad?
Series: Pilots & Spies [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2175513





	Shake Out

**Author's Note:**

> Dramatis Personae
> 
> Alys Esme, Human Female  
> Zilka Darkmoon, Human Female - Intelligence Agent, Alliance to Restore the Republic (Rebellion)  
> Temmin "Snap" Wexley, Human male (mentioned)

Akiva  
3 ABY

Alys pressed a cloth to her stinging cheek. It was definitely going to bruise, not that it would be noticeable with the other bruises on her face. Even after years of trying to make herself disappear, Uncle still found a reason to be displeased. Tonight, she hadn’t moved fast enough and the hit knocked her across the room. 

She rubbed her fingers along the tile of the now ruined Anvil from _Galactic Expansion._ Temmin probably already had one and besides, it wasn’t like she had seen him in days.

She should be more concerned about where her next meal was going to come from; after the altercation, Uncle had locked her in the attic, but it’s not like that had ever stopped her in before. Tossing the cloth back into the bowl, she reached up to repin the braid in a tight halo around her head. Silently crossing the cramped attic, she climbed on top of an old delivery crate and felt for the latch of the ventilation chimney. It opened with a tiny squeak.

Now came the tricky part. She knew from experience that the edges of the chimney were sharp. She pulled down her jacket sleeves to protect her hands. It made climbing more difficult but it was preferable to slicing her fingers open. Coiling the muscles in her legs, she leapt straight up, just managing to get her cloth covered fingers on the edge of the chimney. Her feet kicked in midair for a moment before she adjusted her grip and pulled herself on to the roof. 

The city of Myrra lay spread out before her, lights appearing in windows as dusk fell. If she followed the rooftops to her right, it was a short three minute journey to Temmin’s but that was not her destination tonight. 

Turning in the opposite direction, she took a running leap and landed on the neighbor's roof. She continued in that way until she ran out of rooftops and shimmied down a drain pipe to get to street level. 

She clung to the shadows of the buildings, pausing to listen hard before crossing alleys. A whole bunch of Imperial warships had appeared in the sky last night. She technically had another 30 minutes before the imposed curfew but she didn’t think stormtroopers could be reasoned with. 

Finally reaching the entrance to the old droid factory in the catacombs, she breathed a sigh of relief. She could get to her hidey-hole and eat the fruit she had stashed away, it wasn’t like she was going to get any food from Uncle. 

There was a soft scuffling noise coming from the far end of the tunnel, which was odd, no one but Alys used them. She swung herself up on top of the old conveyor belt, moving silently towards the noise, hand hovering over her vibroblade. 

Laying prone to peer over the edge she saw a very tall woman. It was clear she was an off-worlder. How did she manage to find this specific part of the catacombs? Alys had made many modifications over the years to keep it hidden and now it was ruined. She fiddled with the blade hilt, she should make sure no one knew about her sanctuary. No, she wouldn't become like Uncle and his gang.

She and the woman below must have heard it at the same time, rhythmic marching coming their way. The woman was widely looking for a place to hide. Before she fully knew what she was doing, Alys leapt and used her momentum to roll them both down the hidden shaft to her hidey-hole. 

The woman was smart enough not to try to make a sound when they landed but Alys kept her hand firmly locked over her mouth just in case. The stormtroopers were passing just inches from their heads. 

Alys counted to twenty after the marching stopped before releasing the woman only to receive a blaster in her face. 

“Some thanks for saving you,” Alys said without a hint of fear. Death no longer felt like a bad option.

“Who are you?” The woman demanded.

“Who are you? You're the one in my hidey-hole.” Alys could play this game too. 

The woman tried a new tactic. “Do you know where those stormtroopers are going?”

Alys ignored her and turned to dig through a chest, making a soft noise of pleasure when she pulled out some dried fruit. She took a big bite and smiled as the hunger pains in her stomach eased.

“Hungry?” She held some out to the woman. 

The woman never lowered her blaster but held out her free hand for a piece. This must have decided something for the woman and she finally lowered her blaster. 

“Who are you hiding from?” The woman asked.

Alys just shrugged and kept eating.

“My name is Zilka. I'm looking for some of my friends.”

“They're probably dead. Nuat doesn't let anyone live.” 

“Why do you think Nuat has them?” Zilka continued to ask questions.

“It's the only reason you'd be in the catacombs. Nuat uses them as a torture chamber,” Alys said around a mouthful of food. 

Alys felt Zilka looking her over, taking in the bruises and the way she was hungrily devouring the dried fruit.

“Can you help me find them?” Zilka finally asked. 

Alys hesitated. It would be dangerous, especially with the stormtroopers wandering around. “What's in it for me?” 

Zilka patted her pocket and came up with two nutrient bars. “This is all I have to offer.”

Alys scoffed. She didn't need nutrient bars. “Can you get me off world?”

“Where would you go?” 

“Somewhere that isn't here.”

“What is your name?” 

Alys paused, she wasn't going to give the name that Uncle made her go by, no she would use the name her mother gave her. “Alys Esme.”

“Okay, Alys Esme, you help me find my friends and I'll try to get you off world.”

Alys frowned. “I need better than try.”

“I'm from the Rebellion-” Zilka pulled out a necklace with a rebel insignia inside the locket - “I can't promise to take you off world. But maybe you would think about joining us? We could use people like you. I never heard you coming and I'm one of the best infiltrators we have.”

Alys shrugged. “Rebellion, Empire, does it matter? Nothing ever changes on Akiva.” She glanced towards the chest, not wanting to reveal that she had a datapad stored with all the names and activities of Uncle’s gang and by extension Nuat’s as well. She had been collecting it for as long as she could remember; it was going to be her ticket out of here, to whoever was most willing. 

“If you were to join us, you could help people just like you, stop this tyranny across the galaxy. We’re so close to ending the war.”

Alys did laugh this time. Why should she help anyone? No one had ever helped her. 

“Help me find my friends and you can think about,” Zilka finished. 

Alys agreed to and while closing the chest, scooped up the datapad and tucked it into her belt, secure inside her jacket. 

She led Zilka through a disused tunnel. It was dusty and littered with debris that they had to carefully pick their way through until it opened up above a cavernous space. 

Alys put a finger to her lips and slowly lowered herself over the edge, dangling for a few moments before landing on top of old droid machinery. Zilka followed, landing harder than Alys making them both freeze at the echoing noise. 

Deciding no one heard, Alys started across the belt. It was slow going, there were many weak spots and rusted through holes that needed to be avoided. 

Throwing herself prone, she motioned Zilka to join her and they both looked through a crack into the next chamber. 

The prisoner cages were empty but two of Nuat’s henchmen were having an argument.

“Don't understand why we gotta make space for those Imperial bigwigs. I thought Nuat was going to run the show.”

“Shut up about things you don't understand.” The other hit the first one. “I don't get why we have to go after that runt.”

Zilka was starting to crawl away, clearly hearing enough. Alys felt her heart rate speed up. Please don’t let ‘the runt’ be Temmin. She rubbed at the ruined Anvil tile in her pocket. 

Zilka was repeating her question in a sharp whisper. “How do we get out? I need to get back to camp outside the city.”

Alys refocused on the person in front of her and led Zilka through the warren of tunnels until they ended up at a disused service vent. Climbing the ladder she wrestled the grate open, Zilka followed close behind. They stepped out into the jungle surrounding the city wall. 

“I wish I knew that was an entrance,” Zilka was still whispering as she spun in a circle to orient herself. 

Alys hesitated. Should she go back through the tunnels and look for Temmin? She wasn’t sure he would do the same for her, but he was the only bright spot in her gloomy existence. 

Zilka was staring at her. “Now is when you have to decide. I can’t let you go back, not after seeing me, so there are only two ways this will shake out.” Zilka brought her blaster up to point at Alys.

“You're from the Rebellion? Do you know Temmin’s mother?” Seeing Zilka’s confused face, Alys continued, “Wexley, Moria - no - Mora-”

“Norra,” Zilka said, frowning at the odd question. “You know I can't let you go. Either we fight each other and maybe neither of us leave the planet or you join me and help make life miserable for the Empire and everyone they support. People like whoever did that to your face.”

Alys hesitated for another moment, the grate still in her hands. She had the datapad and her small vibroblade; there was nothing left for her on Akiva, as much as she wanted to make sure Temmin was okay. She let the grate fall with a clang, walking away from her life without a backwards glance. 

**Author's Note:**

> This is set in a Happy AU of the sequel trilogy with my favorite parts of the original trilogy and Star Wars legends included.
> 
> Since this is AU, here are some minor changes, mostly to the Sequel Trilogy events, using information from Before the Awakening by Greg Rucka for The Force Awakens and before. Instead of Lieutenant Muran dying when his starfighter is caught in the Yissiria Zyde's hyperspace wave he is only injured. This still results in Rapier Squad (with Muran) leaving the Republic to join the Resistance. L'ulo L'ampar is not with the Resistance and hangs out with Kes Dameron, Poe's father. 
> 
> Events of The Last Jedi are also altered. The Resistance manages to evacuate D'Qar without losing the bombers and most of the starfleet. They are caught by the First Order over Crait. The bridge is still attacked but not as bad. This means Leia and Ackbar are badly injured but live and Holdo is put in temporary command. Poe still tries to mutiny and they do get into the escape pods but instead of using the Holdo Maneuver to lightspeed jump the Raddus through the Supremacy, she rams the ship to disable it and give time for The Echo of Hope (the starcruiser mentioned in Before the Awakening) to reenforce them. Everyone lives and manages to escape Crait. 
> 
> Events of The Rise of Skywalker are only altered to allow Snap Wexley and Leia (and almost everyone) to survive the Battle of Exegol.


End file.
